This article separates oligopoly-power and cost-efficiency effects of changes in industrial concentration and assesses their impact on output prices in 32 food-processing industries. Empirical results indicate that although concentration induces cost efficiency in one-third of the industries,...

This research examines market performance in the U.S. food manufacturing product classes for 1982 and the effect cooperatives have as market participants. It addresses the public policy concern that cooperatives may obtain market power through favorable public policy and may exercise that market...

Pricing behavior of firms in differentiated product markets has been studied intensely in recent empirical work. Despite several accounts in various industries, price leadership has remained mostly unassessed. This study analyzes price competition in the U.S. brewing industry with a focus on...

De novo entry by the top 20 U.S. supermarket chains into local markets is examined using Tobit analysis. We find that entry is related to potential entrants' proximity to the local market, market growth, concentration, the number of large chains that are incumbents in the local market, and the...

This research report responds to the comprehensive critique of structure-price and structure profit studies in the food retailing industry by Keith Anderson, Staff Economist, Federal Trade Commission. Mr. Anderson's critique was in response to a request from certain members of the House...

This paper documents the extent of cooperative penetration into branded dairy product markets and presents case study evidence on competitive strategies in the skim/low fat milk, whole milk, cottage cheese, butter, margarine, and ice cream markets. We employ data for 51 local market areas from...

This study was provided to the staff at the Federal Trade Commission in October, 1999. It expands the analysis of divestitures that was presented in an April 1999 report to the FTC (An Antitrust Economic Analysis of the Proposed Acquisition of Supermarkets General Holdings Corporation by Ahold...

This paper uses graphical and statistical techniques to examine the effects of the acquisition of the Beatrice Foods Company by ConAgra, Inc. on brand-level marketing strategies. While some instances of postmerger brand harvesting were found, we did not find evidence that there was any...